Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg is implanted outside the uterus, generally in one of the 
fallopian tubes This happens if the fallopian tubes are blocked, damaged or simply unable to transport the ovum to the uterus. On average about 4-5 days are needed for a fertilized egg to reach the ovaries to the uterus, once conception has occurred. Sometimes it may involve other parts of the abdomen, in the ovaries or the cervix.
The main cause of ectopic pregnancy is the existence of an abnormality fallopian tube that prevent a fertilized egg from reaching the uterus and thereby implanting in the uterus or anywhere outside the uterus. Fallopian tube abnormalities may arise from a pelvic infection, following surgery or because of endometriosis (presence of uterine lining outside the uterus).
In turn abnormal fallopian tubes can occur from several causes:
- Existence in pregnant history of pelvic inflammatory disease caused by Chlamydia or gonorrhea infections that cause scar tissue in the fallopian tube
- Surgery of the fallopian tube, often in order to restore a fallopian tube ligature or to repair a blocked fallopian tube or scar tissue
- The existence of a history of ectopic pregnancy in pregnant women.
Although the occurrence of pregnancy is rare after tubal ligature was made or after implantation of an intrauterine device (both are methods of contraception), the pregnancy still appear in these conditions and have a high enough risk to be ectopic.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms vary greatly from person to person. Of these could be mention:
- Abdominal pain or cervical (these may be easier, intermittent, or on the contrary, more severe, persistent, unexpected)
- Vaginal bleeding (heavy bleeding in the abdomen due to rupture of fallopian tubes )
- Pain in the shoulder (although cramping and bleeding can mean many things, shoulder pain, especially in the lying position, is a typical feature of ectopic pregnancy)
- Pain which intensifies during physical activity or when you cough.
Treatment
In most cases, ectopic pregnancy is treated once it is diagnosed, to avoid rupture and severe bleeding bodies. The method of treatment is chosen according to precocity of diagnosis and general condition of the pregnant woman. In selecting the method of treatment must take into consideration that the surgical method applied to the fallopian tube will increase the existing risk for future ectopic pregnancy or infertility. But surgery is required if the fallopian tube is already affected by ectopic pregnancy that develops. Ectopic pregnancies can be resistant to medical treatment so that medical treatment can be followed in some cases surgical treatment especially when the blood level of pregnancy hormone (HCG) does not decrease or when bleeding does not decrease. In turn, surgery may be followed by drug treatment, whether hormonal tests suggest that was not associated with load cell growth stopped.
In rare cases, a timely unrecognized abdominal ectopic pregnancy can result with a healthy baby.